Kate's Nutcracker
by Disneybum
Summary: Kate is a servant in the Stahlbaum home. Her life is dull and orderly, until one special Christmas Eve when she mends a neglected nutcracker under the Christmas tree. Come with Kate as the Nutcracker comes to life, and go on an adventure like you have never imagined. This is my first story so any critiques are welcome!
1. Prologue

Kate's Nutcracker

Prologue

There was a prosperous kingdom that resided high up in the snowy mountains. A fair Queen and noble King lived in the kingdom's palace, along with their son, Prince Peter. They were beloved by the entire realm, and had ruled peacefully. One day, all of that changed.

"I want to thank you for healing our son, sorceress," the King told the rat, smiling. "Your healing powers have been wonderful to the royal family for many years, and I don't know what we would do without you!" "You're welcome, Your Majesty," the rat replied to her master as they walked out of the expansive bedroom. The King smiled at the Queen as they strolled down the corridor. "I must say, for eight years old, he is quite a handful! I suppose I should be more mindful the next time he goes sledding, before he stays out too late or it gets cold like this time," the King proposed. As the King and Queen started down the hallway to their chambers, the rat timidly asked, "Sir, there is something that has been on my mind for many years. I know I have powers that the rest of my people lack, but might my people come into the castle, to gather some food and find shelter from the cold? I have been the only rat to wander these halls for as long as I can remember."

The King's smile faded as he turned to face the rat. "You know I appreciate your service to the crown. You have protected us for many years from any evil that may try to intrude our borders. But I have told you time and time again; rats, save for you, are not allowed within the palace walls. We don't have enough food to feed both my people and yours." As they approached the end of the hall, the King turned and said, "I am sorry, but it is just the way it has to be." He then proceeded to his room. The Queen glanced back and gave a small smile before entering the bedroom and shutting the door. The downhearted rat stood there, not wanting to disobey the King, for he had given her a home within the castle walls. As she started to walk away, she overheard the King talking to the Queen, and her curiosity got the best of her. She snuck up and put her large pink ear to the crack in the door.

The King gazed at his wife. "I know she wants the best for her family, but I just can't allow more rats into the palace. The sorceress is a necessity, or I wouldn't allow her either. The vermin would eat everything in the kitchen!" he explained. As the royal family continued to get ready for bed, they were blissfully unaware of who was eavesdropping. Seething, the rat dashed down the hall and around the corner to her room. It was smaller than the rest of the castle's rooms, with a bed, a few chairs, and a corner with a table with her crystal ball and potions. Pacing, she thought, _this isn't fair! I've given that King and Queen everything, and when I ask for a little company, they won't even consider it! _Right then and there, she came up with a plan. _I'm tired of the King getting to make all the shots! I know he thinks his decisions are for the best, but this one certainly isn't. Something must be done, tonight! _she thought.

Much later that night, she used a potion that could shrink her down in size, or to be more exact, to the size of a real rat. She snuck out of the castle into the nearby woods, where she found some of her own, filthy and eating scraps of who knows what. She then climbed up on a nearby stump and said, "My citizens of this land! I realize you have been suffering, and I am here to help! The King and Queen have harshly denied you entrance into the kingdom, therefore, I invite you join me in a little gathering! Follow me, my family, and you shall never again have to salvage for food, never again have to find shelter from the cold! Follow me onto the castle grounds, where you will find as much food as you like!" She showed them a secret path that led through the sewers into the large kitchen. Their eyes went wide with greed as they took in all the food on the tables and in the pantry. Hearing their stomachs growl, they took no time in ransacking the kitchen of any available food they could find, eating and collecting for the other rats in the forest. The sorceress stood on top of the tallest table, watching with pride as her people finally got the attention they deserved. Seeing that the sun would soon rise, she told the remaining rats to take whatever they were carrying and take it back to the forest quickly. They had taken any food in sight, and would most likely be stocked for the entire winter. The sorceress quickly returned to her room, cast the reversal of the shrinking spell on herself, and went over to her crystal ball, watching as her people fled for the hills.

By the time the King and Queen woke up, the majority of the kitchen had been raided of its food supply. Standing in the middle of the empty kitchen, the King started to think. "_Who could have done this?" _It didn't take him long to figure out who the culprit was. He stormed down the corridors, up the stairs and to the sorceress's room. Without knocking, he pushed open the door to reveal the rat, turned toward her crystal ball. Livid, the King shouted, "How could you do this to us? To this kingdom? We have given you a home, and this is how you repay us?!" As the rat turned around, something in her eyes had changed. They were darker, and at once, the King knew this was not the same rat he had hired in the beginning. Something had snapped within her, and she would never be the same. Glaring, she replied, "You didn't want to feed the VERMIN, so I did myself. Sure, I had a place to stay, but what about the rest of my people? All I ever asked for was a little company, an ally of my own, and you never granted my one request! Well, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I made sure that my own people didn't starve, no thanks to you! I know you think all of the decisions you make are good, but this one I can tell you was not!"

The King stood there, taking in everything that had just happened. Taking a deep breath, he looked up and said, "This is no way to handle things in this castle, let alone this kingdom! I hereby banish you and the rest of your kind from this kingdom for the rest of your days! Guards!" After a few seconds, the royal guards started flooding into the room. As they approached the sorceress, she raised her hands in the air. With a crazed look in her eye, she screamed, "This isn't the end!" The King then realized she concealed something in her hand. She dropped the spell, and the room filled with a purple smoke. When the smoke cleared, she was gone.

Years passed, and the kingdom prospered, presuming the sorceress had died over time. It was Christmas time, and every year the kingdom held a Christmas Eve ball, and invited everyone from near and far to celebrate the season. This year would be special though, because before the ball, a coronation would be held for the prince, as he had just turned 18, and could take his rightful place as King. "Are you nervous, my son?" the King asked Peter as they readied him up for the coronation. Peter looked in the mirror, then to his dad and said, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be father." The King walked to his son and said, "Don't be nervous my boy! Everything will go as planned! And I believe you will become a great King." They smiled at each other before the King left the room. Peter stared back into the mirror, a look of uncertainty in his face.

The Great Hall was filled wall to wall with noblemen to village people alike, ready to welcome the new King into power. Right as the King was about to place the crown on Peter's head, the doors burst open to reveal the sorceress. "Thank you for the invitation, your highness. I'm so glad you thought of me all these years!" The look of surprise and anger filled the King's face, as he yelled, "Guards!" The sorceress gave a tiny smile and lifted her hand, freezing the guards in mid-run. "You see, my King," she started, "I have learned many new spells in the forest, spells you couldn't even dream existed. And I would love to try one now, if that's ok with you?" Peter saw her start to lift her arm and ran in front of his dad, right as a blast of light came hurtling through the air. When the light decreased, all that was left was a wooden toy, a nutcracker. The King and Queen's faces melted into despair. The King crouched down and picked up the nutcracker. "What have you done?!" he roared. "Oh what a pity. That was meant for you your highness. Oh well, I suppose this could be better than I expected!" She raised her arm again and the nutcracker suddenly disappeared, for she casted him away to another land, a land without magic. With vengeance in her eyes, she cast one final spell, which froze the kingdom in time. The kingdom fell into despair, for they never thought they would see their prince again.


	2. Chapter 1

Many years later

Kate was as busy as ever. Being one of the many maids in the Stahlbaum house, she was getting the house prepared for the annual Christmas Eve party that was to be held in just one hour. The table had been elaborately set with fine china and silver, and the main room had the biggest Christmas tree you could ever imagine. Kate was making the finishing touches to the garland hanging on the mantel piece. "Done," she breathed with a sigh of relief. She could only dream of what the party would look like. Her parents died when she was six, and thinking they could use some extra help around the house, the Stahlbaums took her in. The maids raised her, and taught her how to cook, clean and do basic housework. But before her parents had died, Kate knew she loved one thing more than anything, and that was to dance.

Every time she heard music play, she could just feel the melody inside her and could not help but start to move to it. Even now, ten years later, she still loved hearing the orchestra practice their pieces before the party began every year, though sometimes it did distract her. "Kate….Kate!" Mrs. Stahlbaum called, trying to get her attention. Kate finally snapped out of it, jumping a little at the second call of her name. "Sorry Mrs. Stahlbaum, I got sidetracked. The decorations are done though!" she exclaimed. Mrs. Stahlbaum looked around, pleased at what she saw. "Yes, yes, this will do just fine. You may go now. And don't come out until after the party is finished." Mrs. Stahlbaum was a stern woman. She was not at all harsh to the servants of the house, but not quite kind either.

Kate made her way to the kitchen, pondering what it might be like to join the party. She had watched it ensue every year, and every year she wished she could join the guests as they waltzed around the main room. She watched through a window in the kitchen, as she did every year. Mr. Stahlbaum entered the main room, followed by their son Jamie. Mr. Stahlbaum was a banker, and often had to travel to different parts of Europe for meetings with his employers. He often found interesting gifts to give to Jamie and his wife on his excursions, and this Christmas was no different. He had found something he thought Jamie might enjoy while in Germany. Jamie was, to say the least, a rambunctious, spoiled brat. His parents had a very hard time controlling him, especially with all the festivities that would be going on around them.

"Now Jamie, you will only get your present if you are on your best behavior. Is that clear?" Mr. Stahlbaum tried. With a huff, Jamie responded smugly "Yes, of course I will be good father!" With that, the Stahlbaums opened the doors of their home to all of the well-to-dos in their community.


	3. Chapter 2

With that, the Stahlbaums opened the doors of their home to all of the well-to-dos in their community. The party always started with a grand feast, followed by a dance. The children received gifts during the dance, something they all looked forward to. The feast was delicious, as usual, but was abandoned quickly once finished. The children quickly ran to the Christmas tree to see the wonderful rarities they had received. Jamie was the most impatient, running around and around the tree, looking for his present. It had taken all his willpower to eat his meal without a fuss, and now he wanted to be rewarded. "Where is my present?! I can't find it!" he yelled. His father glanced at his mother and started towards one side of the tree. He handed Jamie a long box with red wrapping and a gold ribbon wrapped around the whole thing. Jamie quickly ripped the paper and bow off the box and tore the lid off to reveal a beautiful nutcracker.

He had a red suit with white pants and piercing blue eyes. He also had a strong jaw that could crack the hardest of nuts. Jamie looked confused and shocked at what he had received. "What is it?" he asked with a revolted tone. His father explained "It is a nutcracker, Jamie. He came all the way from Germany. Here, let me show you how he works." Carrying the nutcracker, he walked across the room towards a bowl of nuts. Picking one up, he placed it in the nutcracker's mouth, and, crack! The nut cracked in two. "You see? He is very useful, and could lead some of your tin soldiers in battle even!" Jamie screamed, "This is all I'm getting? A stupid doll that cracks nuts?! You have to have something else the sides this!" His mother, hardening up, replied, "How ungrateful you are! Say thank you to your father or you may not participate in anymore of the party!" Taken aback, Jamie reluctantly thanked his father and wandered off with his new toy.

Meanwhile, on looking the whole scene was Kate. Watching the whole party was like a dream, with all the beautiful women in gorgeous dresses, and the men looking so handsome. She especially loved getting lost in the music, closing her eyes and picturing being out there, dancing the night away with a handsome young man. She was awoken when she saw the toy Jamie had received. She thought he was the most stunning toy she had ever seen in her entire life. She could not believe her eyes as Jamie threw a fit over getting him. But what stunned her most was what Jamie did after his parents went back to entertaining the guests. He went back over to the nut bowl and crammed as many nuts as were possible into his mouth and tried to force the jaw shut. Her own jaw dropped, for she could not believe how ungrateful a child could be. Of course the jaw broke, and not having the slightest interest in the toy in the first place, Jamie threw him aside. He landed under the Christmas tree, away from view.


	4. Chapter 3

The party came to a close, and the last guest finally left. When Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum found out about the nutcracker, they were extremely severe on Jamie. Kate knew it was harmless to come out, since the last guest had left, so she and the other maids hastily made their way towards the messy dining room table to start cleaning up. The maids all wanted to get done quickly so they could go to their own homes, considering how late the party had lasted. After they had finished cleaning the messy table, most of the maids went home. This year Kate had been given the duty of cleaning the main room where the dance took place. This only took one person to get the job done, and every year someone got nominated. This year it was Kate's duty to get done, but she really did not mind.

She entered the main room slowly, taking it all in. Even with all the guests gone, there was still the feeling of excitement in the air, along with the hum of the music left from the orchestra. She started sweeping up any leaves the guests had trailed in, making it all the way to the massive tree. Without thinking, she closed her eyes again and slowly started to waltz around the ballroom, picturing snow falling around her. She danced around the huge tree, taking in the beauty of it. The angel truly felt like it was flying on the top, seeing how high she was. Just then, Kate stumbled across the broken nutcracker under the tree. Feeling pity for the poor toy, she took a spare handkerchief and wrapped it around the nutcracker's jaw. She still could not believe how mean a child could be to a toy, especially a toy this beautiful. His eyes were the most startling feature; they were so blue it was almost like he was looking right at you. Just then, the clock struck midnight. "Oh no, it's much later than I thought it was!" Kate exclaimed. She was about to set the nutcracker down, when suddenly, his eyes started blinked!

Startled, Kate did a double take, and quickly set him down under the tree. _I'm probably just seeing things. It is late after all, _she thought. But no, they blinked again, and he began to move his whole body. Kate backed up a little, shocked to see a toy actually moving. He then proceeded to start speaking. "Thank you for waking me up!" he happily said. "I've been waiting for someone to show some sort of kindness towards me, for that is the only way I could finally wake up. What is your name?" A little shaken, but intrigued, Kate stepped closer a few steps. _Surely I'm dreaming. I've fallen asleep on duty, _she thought. But still, she replied, "You're welcome! My name is Kate." Clearing her head, she thought, _Wait, what am I doing? He shouldn't even be alive!_ "Who are you, and how are you talking to me?" The nutcracker showed something that looked to be a smile, and started to explain, "I was put under a curse by a rat, a sorceress actually. It's a long story, but the only way I could come back to life was if someone showed me some bit of kindness. Thank you, Kate." He then continued, "The only way I can fully break this curse is to kill the rat's son. Once his lineage is dead, all of the magic will be gone too. I do fear might be near us at this very minute." Kate, astounded, said, "That's a very sad story, and I hope you defeat this other rat, but I can assure you, there are no rats in this house. Mrs. Stahlbaum would never allow such a thing." But no sooner had the words come out of her mouth when she heard a rustling sound on the other end of the room. Glancing from one side of the room to the other, Kate then focused her attention back on the nutcracker. "You might want to go back to your room. My father told me stories about this so called rat 'king', and if he is anything like his mother, than it is better if fewer people get involved."

Taken aback, she replied, "That is noble of you, but I am not leaving you here by yourself! Whatever happens, I am staying to help!"_ I've been a maid for most of my life, doing chores and meaningless tasks, _she thought. _I finally have a chance to do something meaningful with my life. _She noticed the nutcracker staring to the other side of the room. She followed his gaze to the spot where she heard the rustling, and her eyes grew from what she saw. An enormous black mass had consumed almost half the floor space, and was still growing by the minute. Kate and the nutcracker were completely surrounded, and were now cornered against the wall. As Kate was backing up, her arm happened to bump Mr. Stahlbaum's bookcase, knocking one of the books off the highest shelf. He had gotten it on one of his trips to France, finding its ancient binding and odd writing interesting. He also thought it might someday make him a profit if he ever decided to sell it. What he didn't know is that this had once belonged to the sorceress, and still contained some of her magic within its pages. The book landed open with a loud thud, a sound so loud it seemed it echoed throughout the whole house. The book had landed so hard, one of its spells was enacted. A purple haze started to surround Kate, blocking out all sight. By the time the smoke cleared, everything had gotten bigger, almost as if she had shrunk. Somehow the spell had traveled to the toy cabinet, where some of Jamie's tin soldiers, now alive like the nutcracker, were coming to his aid. Kate's eyes widened with shock as she looked around at her new surroundings. She glanced at the nutcracker, now a couple of inches taller than her, who showed as much shock on his face as was on hers.


	5. Chapter 4

The nutcracker exclaimed, "How are you my size? That's not possible, unless…" He glanced over at the open book. They both walked over to it to see a picture of a beautiful castle residing in the snowy mountains. The nutcracker's eyes widened with shock. "That's my castle," he said quietly. He suddenly felt a little sick to his stomach, realizing what had happened to his kingdom while he had been cursed. There was no doubt in his mind now; he had to kill the rat that had destroyed his and his family's lives. Kate, still trying to take this strange reality in, exclaimed, "Who, or what, is that?!" Looking up from the book, the nutcracker now witnessed what had grabbed Kate's attention. At the front of the black mass of rats appeared ugliest thing either of them had seen. Even with a royal cape and crown, you could not disguise his matted fur and repulsive nature. He also held a golden scepter, one that held all the magic his mother had taught him, plus some. Kate looked around her and knew that even with the few toy soldiers that had enlisted to help, they were no match for this wretched creature. "Kate, that would be the sorceress's son."

The Rat King growled, "Well, it took many years, but I have finally found you. When my mother sent you to this land, she said I would be never have to deal with the likes of you. She never thought anyone would show kindness to something quite as ugly! I agreed! But apparently we were wrong," he said, his red eyes glaring at Kate. Chuckling, he added, "And this is who you enlist to help? Some tin soldiers, and a scullery maid? Oh this is priceless!" He laughed along with his minions. The nutcracker took a step forward and shot back, "We might be smaller in numbers, but you will not live much longer. Good always wins in the end!" Though he said these words with great courage, there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. Looking back at Kate, he whispered, "You get behind those soldiers and don't come out until the rat is dead. I have to finish this business now."Not seeing any other choice at the moment, Kate obeyed. He turned to his soldiers and said quietly, "When I yell 'charge', you give them all that you got. Alright men?" The soldiers nodded their heads, though the nutcracker knew this would be a hopeless fight.

The nutcracker turned back towards the rat army, and slowly walked towards their king. He then took a deep breath and yelled, "Charge!" Kate watched as the two sides met, almost like an explosion. The army fought bravely, but Kate could already tell they were vastly outnumbered by the rats. Already she could see the soldiers dropping one by one. The nutcracker ran towards the Rat King, wanting to end this feud once and for all. The Rat King raised his sword high in the air and aimed at the nutcracker, but the nutcracker was too fast for him and blocked his attack. They fought for a few minutes, but in no time the evil rat had the nutcracker pinned to the tree. "You really thought you could beat me," he whispered menacingly. "You are weak and selfish, as your parents were before you. And now, I will finally be able to say I took out the last of the royal family!" Kate saw the nutcracker was in trouble, and though he told her to stay away, she just had to help. She ran over to the other side of the tree and hid, waiting to see how she could help. The Rat King backed up a little and raised his scepter, as though about to cast a spell. Impulsively, she ran as fast as she could in front of the nutcracker, blocking the spell from reaching him. Distracted from the sudden gesture, the Rat King's spell changed into an entirely different spell; the blast changed from red to purple, and it hit Kate full force.


	6. Chapter 5

A shocked nutcracker caught Kate as she crumpled to the ground, weak from the blast. After he set her down gently, he charged at the Rat King, gaining a new energy he hadn't had before. The Rat King saw him coming, but the nutcracker was too fast for him. His sword slashed through the matted fur, spilling some blood onto the floor. The rat stumbled and fell, surprise in his eyes, but also the look of hatred. That look stayed in his eyes, until the red color turned to gray. The rest of the rats cowardly scurried away, knowing the same fate would happen to them if they stayed. The remaining soldiers bowed and walked mechanically back to the toy cabinet. The nutcracker ran over to Kate, who to his surprise, was starting to disappear; his attention was so diverted that he did not realize what was happening to himself. Kate looked wide eyed at him and said, "You're changing! You killed the Rat King, so the spell is broken!" He looked down to see she was right. His hands weren't wooden anymore, but they were real, human hands. He touched his face, and joy overtook him for a moment. That moment was short lived, as he remembered the task at hand. He held what was left of Kate up and said, "This is all my fault. If I hadn't come to this house, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. Don't fear, for I promise, I will find you." She smiled at him before finally disappearing altogether.

When Kate woke up, she found herself in a beautiful wintry forest, complete with falling snow that almost looked like it was dancing. She looked around and knew at once that this was no ordinary forest. "Where in the world am I?" she wondered aloud. No sooner had she spoken when a beautiful white horse came galloping from a nearby thicket of pine trees. "Well hello there. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am?" she said jokingly as she tenderly petted its nose; though in all truthfulness, she was wondering where she was, and where her nutcracker had gone. "I remember him saying not to worry," she told the horse, "So I am going to believe him. Are there any other people here that I could talk to?" She thought the horse almost looked as if it understood her. He proved he understood her when he kneeled down and motioned for her to get on. "You…you want me to ride you?" she asked, wondering what to do. She had only ridden a horse maybe once in her life, when her parents were still alive. She tried to dig deep down and remember what to do. Slowly, she whipped one leg over the side of the horse. The minute she felt steady he stood up and started galloping towards the mountains. She held on to his white mane for dear life as the wind blew her hair back. When she saw the snowy mountains ahead, it finally hit her. This was the same kingdom from the enchanted book.


	7. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, Peter had no idea where to even start looking for Kate, or how to free his kingdom. He paced the room, thinking of what to do. He walked over the book and looked sadly at the picture he saw. That was his home, trapped inside a book all these years. Frozen in time, and unable to do anything about it. Then, an idea struck him. In the rat's rush to get out of the house, they had failed to do anything about their fallen king. Peter approached the hideous rat and slowly grabbed the scepter out of its hand. "Maybe…" he thought, as he took it over to the book. He didn't know how to use magic, but he thought it was worth a shot. He waved the scepter above his head, closed his eyes, and hoped for the best. When he opened them, he looked around and smiled.

Kate finally figured out that the horse was taking her to the castle, where she could tell the King and Queen the prince was alive. When she arrived at the palace, she couldn't believe her eyes at how grand it was. Shimmering chandeliers hung from the 100 year old trees outside, almost looking like they were floating. As beautiful as it was, there was still something ominous hanging in the air. The horse suddenly stopped, for it seemed he was spooked by something inside. She dismounted and petted his nose trying to calm him down. The horse finally ran off into the woods, leaving Kate alone outside of the large gates. She had no idea where to start, so she started scouting around the castle walls, looking for another way in; maybe even a servant's quarters. She looked down at what she was wearing and realized that would probably be her best option. While she looked around the castle walls, the horse had found another newcomer.

Peter had found his way back into his kingdom, or at least into the woods at the outskirts of it. He was surprised to see he was still holding the Rat King's scepter. When the white horse ran up to him, his smile broadened, for this had been his horse before he had been cursed. "How have you been, Magnus?" he asked, petting his old friend. The horse was glad to see him, but Peter could see urgency in his eyes and could tell something was wrong. He quickly leaped on the horse and galloped towards the palace. In no time, he made it to the front gates, glad to be back. The horse once again seemed frightened of what was beyond the closed gates. "What is it boy? What have you seen?" Peter asked. But the horse only seemed interested in getting as far away from the gates as possible. Peter relinquished and let him go back to the stables. He slowly opened the gates and looked around the palace entrance. It was much darker than the last time he was here. It was almost as if everything had died a little. He walked down the main corridor, past tapestries of his family before him, to the throne room. He thought it might be best to come through another entrance, just to see what was going on in there; he had a bad feeling it wasn't good. He snuck up in the shadows behind the two thrones and had to cover his mouth to hide the gasp that slipped out. His mother and father were sitting in the thrones, but it seemed as if they were in a daze, or half conscious. Standing over them was the sorceress, who he had presumed to be dead at this point. It turns out she had trapped herself inside the book, making herself a prisoner of time as well as the King and Queen.


	8. Chapter 7

He backed up a little so he would not be seen, and he bumped into someone. He jumped a little but smiled with relief when he saw who it was. Peter hugged Kate close, then backed away sheepishly. He then asked, "How did you get here? The Rat King's spell must have changed from a spell of death to a transportation spell!" Kate explained what happened to her in the woods, and about finding an abandoned service entrance and sneaking into the castle. "I found the throne room, but once I saw they were under a spell I didn't know what to do." She looked down at what Peter was holding. "Is that...what I think it is?" "Yes, and I think this will greatly help in defeating the last rat of the lineage." Kate stole a glance at the rat standing above the King and Queen. "So is she the one who cursed you? That turned you into a nutcracker?" Kate asked, curious. Peter frowned and said, "Yes. She is the one who started this whole mess, but it is time for it to end. You stay here. Please. I can't have something bad happen to you again." Without waiting for a reply, Peter, clutching the scepter, walked out of the shadows to confront the rat. He ran past her, so fast that she barely had time to react. He saw his mom and dad, both with hypnotic stares on their faces. Facing the two thrones, he said, "Remember me sorceress? The one you cursed so long ago? Well guess what: the curse is broken, and your son is dead!" Anger rushing through him he held the scepter up to show the proof to her. "What have you done to this kingdom?" Peter asked, fuming. The rat just stared at him and smiled. "Tell me!" he screamed. She looked down and said, "That spell was never meant for you, you twit. It was meant for your father! After you were cast off, I never dreamed anyone would actually be kind to you, looking the way you did. Apparently I underestimated the power of love! So I had to do something about your parents. I found my most precious spell book and thought, 'wouldn't it be nice if I added a few pictures in, just for decoration.' When I sent this realm to my book, it slipped my mind I was also in the kingdom. But accidents happen. When the book closed, I could not cast spells as I once had. It wasn't until the book was opened that my powers had been returned! And now I can finish what I started all those years ago!"

She raised her hands as a magic spell was produced. Quickly Peter lifted the scepter, using it as a shield to absorb any spells thrown at him. With each spell thrown she took a step closer to Peter. This dance happened until Peter was almost against the wall. Kate watched with horror and knew, as brilliant of a fighter that Peter was, that he was no match for spells from a witch. She came out of the shadows slowly, looking down at both the hypnotized King and Queen as she passed. She snuck up behind the sorceress, who was too preoccupied with Peter to notice anyone else approaching. Kate had a plan. Keeping a good distance, she slowly took off her shoe and threw it as hard as she could at the sorceress. It hit her square in the back of the head. She spun around so quickly, it made Kate jump. "Why you meddlesome little fool!" she growled, as Kate started to run in the opposite direction. The sorceress started to pursue, but stopped suddenly. Seizing the opportunity, Peter quickly drew his sword and stabbed the sorceress in the heart. "Like mother, like son," Peter said quietly. The sorceress slowly started to shrink, shriveling down into nothing but dust in the wind.


	9. Chapter 8

Kate looked back and saw what had happened. She ran over to Peter and gave him a huge hug, thankful that he was ok. Releasing, she said, "I'm sorry! I know you said to stay back, but I saw what she was about to do, and I just had to…" she started rambling. Peter smiled and said, "Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for! That is the second time you saved my life, and my kingdom. Now that the sorceress's lineage is dead, our kingdom is free of her spell book. Just look around!" Kate looked at her surroundings, and realized that he was right. It was like everything was lit up again. The chandeliers were all lit up, and the room had a golden glow around it. Peter also realized that his parents had awoken from their spell. "Mother. Father!" he said as he ran into their embrace. The King said, "We never thought we would see you again, my son. How did you defeat both rodents?" Peter smiled and looked over his shoulder. He motioned for Kate to come up to the thrones. "Mother, Father, this is Kate. Without her, I would not be standing here today. She helped me defeat both of the rats, and to thank her, I would like to invite her to our Christmas Eve ball!" Both the King and Queen agreed this would be a splendid idea, and Kate couldn't believe her ears. "You mean it? I've never been to a ball before!" She thanked the King and Queen many times, trying hard to hide the excitement in her face.

Before the ball started, Kate was taken back to the now awakened servants; they had put under the same spell the King and Queen were under. They helped dress her in a gorgeous periwinkle dancing dress that shimmered in the light, with a tulle skirt, and Pointe shoes. Her hair was curled with flowers intertwined to form a headband. She had never in her wildest dreams imagined getting to wear Pointe shoes, something she had always wanted. She was guided out into the ballroom, where she met Peter, who was dressed in a handsome red suit with white pants and black boots. His eyes widened when he saw Kate. "You look beautiful Kate," he exclaimed. Kate smiled shyly at the admiration and said, "Thank you. You look very handsome as well. Are you excited to finally become King?" He looked at her and said, "I used to be frightened to lead people, not wanting to let them down. But after all I have been through, I truly think I am ready now." He offered her his arm as they walked into the ballroom together.

The coronation went just as planned, with no rats interrupting. Kate was allowed to sit on the throne next to Peter, introduced as their honored guest. Dancers from all the corners of the land started the performances. There were dancers from Spain, Arabia, China, and any other country you could think of. For some reason, they reminded Kate of different forms of candy, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Peter beamed at Kate, who was astounded that just a few hours ago, she was watching through a window, wishing she could just be part of a party, and now there was one where she was the guest of honor. After a while, Peter suddenly took her hand asked, "Would you have the next dance? I saw you dancing around the tree back in the parlor." Kate laughed softly and replied, "Yes, of course!"

She followed him to the center of the room, where they shared a beautiful pax de duex together. They waltzed around the room, lights spinning around them like a dream; though Kate could not compare this to any other dream she had ever had. This was so much better than any dream. Peter stopped suddenly and looked at Kate. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but I feel like we have, after all we have gone through." He knelt down on one knee. "Kate, I am heir to the throne, and I would be honored if you would be my queen." Kate looked down, astounded, and said, "Yes, I would love to be your Queen!" They ruled with a peaceful hand for many years. And of course, they lived happily ever after.


End file.
